Debunking the Alkaline Diet

A scientific look at the debatable plan

The alkaline diet is based on the idea that the body is too acidic and can be fixed with alkaline foods. It has simple rules where food is divided into two categories; acidic (meat, fish, dairy, beans, sugar, caffeine, grains) and alkaline (fruits and vegetables). By consuming foods which promote an alkaline state in the body, you can supposedly reduce your risk of diseases which include diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Despite these large claims, there is no scientific evidence to back this up [1]. This article will go through the concepts of what an alkaline can and cannot do for your health.

Acid and Alkaline

Let’s start with the basics. pH is a measure of how acidic or basic a substance is. An acid has a low pH (0–6.9) and an alkali has a high pH (7.1 t- 14). The lungs, kidneys, and liver all play an important role in the acid-base regulation by regulating how much hydrogen and bicarbonate is needed and by removing carbon dioxide.

Your stomach is highly acidic and has a pH of around 1.5–3 due to the presence of hydrochloric acid to help break down food. This means that when it comes to eating alkaline foods or drinking alkaline water — it will not stay alkaline when it hits your stomach. Your body is constantly working to maintain a normal pH, particularly the pH of your blood which is between 7.35–7.45, making it a bit alkaline. Anything below 7.35 is acidosis, and anything above 7.45 is alkalosis [2]. Blood pH is so tightly controlled because a deviation of more than 0.4 pH units either way can cause your cells to stop working and can be fatal if left untreated.

Is your body too acidic?

The body produces more acids than alkalis from food, the metabolism of food, and production of carbon dioxide from respiration. When you consume foods the pH of food is changed in different parts of the body to match the conditions of the digestive enzymes. Food becomes acidic in the stomach regardless of whether it was acidic or alkaline, and as it moves into the intestines, a substance called bile is released which neutralizes the acid, allowing alkaline conditions needed for the enzymes in the small intestine. As the large intestines don’t produce digestive enzymes, the pH then goes back to being slightly acidic to neutral, resulting in excretion. Excreting acids in your urine is one of the main ways your body regulates its blood pH. This explains why certain foods can slightly change the pH of your urine however it is a poor indicator of the overall pH of your body and general health status [3].

What is the harm?

From a purely nutritional perspective, the alkaline diet has some benefits as it encourages an increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, something that Trinidad’s population needs more of.

In general, populations with a high intake of fruit and vegetables (5+ portions a day) do generally have a reduced risk of heart diseases, certain types of cancers, and improves blood sugar levels. However, there is currently no research that indicates the pH of food has anything to do with it.

One of the biggest claims of the alkaline diet is that the body can’t get cancer in an alkaline state as cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment and can’t survive in alkaline surroundings. It’s true, an alkaline environment does kill cancer cells, but it also kills every other cell in the body too; meaning that your cancer would be gone, but so would you. Secondly, an acidic environment is the result of cancer cells, not the cause of it [4]. Thirdly, as previously mentioned, your diet cannot affect your body’s pH due to the tightly regulated mechanisms of your lungs and kidneys.

Claims like these are disingenuous and harmful. In 2018, one of the main peddlers of the alkaline diet, Robert Young, was sued by a cancer patient who claims Young counselled her to forgo traditional medical treatment and instead follow along with his alkaline theories. She now has stage 4 cancer [5]

Strict adherence to the alkaline diet can also lead to a lack of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber due to eliminating entire food groups. Not to mention the ‘acidic’ foods listed such as grains, beans, fish, and cheese have wonderful health benefits, besides making your food taste great.

The baseline is that a diet high in ‘acidic’ foods, which is a diet low in fruits and vegetables, resembles a typical ‘Western’ diet. Research around Western diets show the negative health consequences but this is not due to your body being ‘acidic’. Focus on eating a balanced diet which includes a high intake of fruits and vegetables along with protein and grains.

References

[1] F. TR and H. T, “Systematic review of the association between dietary acid load, alkaline water and cancer,” BMJ open, vol. 6, no. 6, Jun. 2016, doi: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2015–010438.

[2] E. Hopkins, T. Sanvictores, and S. Sharma, “Physiology, Acid Base Balance,” Urolithiasis, pp. 19–22, Sep. 2020, Accessed: Aug. 09, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507807/.

[3] G. K. Schwalfenberg, “The Alkaline Diet: Is There Evidence That an Alkaline pH Diet Benefits Health?,” Journal of Environmental and Public Health, vol. 2012, 2012, doi: 10.1155/2012/727630.

[4] “The Alkaline Diet and Cancer — American Institute for Cancer Research %.” https://www.aicr.org/resources/blog/another-cancer-and-diet-claim-the-alkaline-diet/ (accessed Aug. 09, 2021).

[5] “Jury awards $105 million to terminal cancer patient in suit against ‘pH Miracle’ author — Los Angeles Times.” https://www.latimes.com/la-me-ln-san-diego-ph-miracle-lawsuit-20181102-story.html (accessed Aug. 09, 2021).

All of the content presented by Tru Valu Supermarkets on our Medium channel, including written text, photographs, videos, and graphics, as well as other resources we might include is meant to educate and it should not be perceived as a substitution for professional medical advice, as well as diagnosis or treatment. Always consult your doctor or nutrition advisor before making major lifestyle and diet changes.

Tru Valu Supermarkets is one of Trinidad and Tobago’s leading supermarket brands. As a responsible supermarket chain we believe in educating and informing our customers to make responsible decisions each day to improve their wellness and wellbeing.

Tru Valu Health and Wellness Program. Article 37